City of Taylor Council Meeting — April 7, 2026

The City of Taylor Council met on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 6:30 p.m., and adjourned at 7:26 p.m. Members present: Mr. Path, Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Wallace, Mr. Tedy (also transcribed as Tady/Thede), Mr. Thomas, Mr. Johnson, and Mayor Woolley; Mr. Clark and Mrs. Bauer were excused. The council approved a $675,000 transfer between road funds, advanced two conditional rezoning requests (first and second readings, each 5–1), unanimously opposed six Michigan House bills that would preempt local zoning authority, and voted 4–2 to direct corporation counsel to amend the fireworks ordinance. The agenda and minutes were not available; this summary is based solely on the raw transcript.

Consent Calendar & Routine Approvals

• Agenda approved with three amendments: item 6.18 reworded (CCR 6.232-25, adding $425,000 to L's Asphalt Paving Company, not to exceed $4,870,000, funded through the local street fund, major street fund, Taylor Building Authority (TBA), and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) grant); item 6.19 reworded (CCR 6.234-25, adding $250,000 to Audia Concrete Construction, not to exceed $1,765,000); and item 6.21 amended to remove the phrase "previously attached document."
• Minutes of the March 17, 2026, meeting accepted unanimously.
• Tribute honoring Councilman Ron Thede as the first little person elected to office in Michigan, presented by State Representative Jamie Thompson, accepted unanimously.
• Personal service contracts for the fire chief and deputy fire chief approved.
• KCI printing, $3,237 for final postage and processing of 2026 assessment charge notices (general fund).
• CCR 2.51-26 amended, +$2,255 for Magnet Forensics Advanced XON software (police IT).
• McKenna Associates engaged as planning consultant on an as-needed basis.
• Pro Pump and Controls, sole-source, $17,328 for golf course irrigation pump and piping replacement at Taylor Meadows Golf Club (golf course capital outlay).
• 2026 summer green fees approved for Taylor Lakes and Taylor Meadows golf courses.
• Water Landscape, $3,120 for a new golf course fountain control panel.
• CCR 7.295-25 amended (Sports Plex purchase agreement, DJ Services LLC).
• CCR 9.430-25 amended, +$65,218 for required power and CAT 6 installation (TBA capital outlay); discussion noted this is for auto-call fire systems across 18 buildings and is additional to previously approved authority.
• Cornerstone Fence, low quote, $20,136 for fencing at the splash pad and Pavilion C at Heritage Park (TBA capital outlay).
• Wayne Lawn and Garden Center, low quote, $36,999 for two DPW lawnmowers (Act 48 right-of-way fund).
• American Generator Sales and Service, $23,661 emergency generator rental and $21,923 replacement generator for the animal shelter (Act 179).
• Resolution authorizing the city clerk to sign a resolution to remove roads from the Act 51 map.
• CCR 7.288-25 amended (compost site purchase agreement, FY 2025–26).
• CCR 6.232-25 amended, +$425,000 to L's Asphalt Paving Company, not to exceed $4,870,000 (local street fund, major street fund, TBA, MEDC grant).
• CCR 6.234-25 amended, +$250,000 to Audia Concrete Construction, not to exceed $1,765,000.
• $5,000 payment to the State of Michigan for the MS4 NPDES permit 2026 annual fee (major road fund).

Mayor's Communications & Announcements

• Mayor Woolley reported the loss of police K-9 Officer Cindy, who was euthanized after being found full of cancer; her handler was Officer Nunley. He also reported the death of Fred Turner, a retired DPW foreman and long-time Taylor employee. A moment of silence was observed for both.
• Council members announced the Texas Roadhouse TIPACOP fundraiser on April 8, 2026, 11 a.m.–10 p.m., with 10% of bills supporting Taylor Unified Special Olympics, and the Friends of the Veterans Museum pancake breakfast on April 25, 2026, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. at the Ford Senior Center, $10 donation.

Discussion Items

• Budget amendment 2026-005 (April 7, 2026): Finance director Jason explained a $675,000 transfer from the major road fund to the local road fund to cover additional asphalt and concrete project costs. Council confirmed the transfer is net-zero between the two funds and has been done in prior years. Approved.
• First reading — Case 26-3715 (Telegraph, former Coliseum): A conditional rezoning of a 2.525-acre parcel on the east side of Telegraph between Wolfile and Mary Street from B3 General to I1 Light Industrial, restricted to indoor storage. Planning consultant Laura noted 14 conditions, operating hours of 8 a.m.–8 p.m., waste removal vehicles limited to 5 p.m.–9 a.m., a reduction of 10,000 square feet of pavement, an 18-month expiration unless construction proceeds, and that the planning consultant and planning commission recommended approval all three times. Councilman Thomas opposed, citing the 2006 Master Plan's vision for the Telegraph corridor and opposition to another storage facility there. Approved 5–1 on roll call (Mr. Wallace yes, Mr. Tedy yes, Mr. Thomas no, Mr. Path yes, Mr. Armstrong yes, Mr. Johnson yes). A second reading is required at the next meeting.
• Second reading — Gardner/Beech Daly conditional rezoning: R1-C single-family residential to light industrial, with a conservation easement, green buffer, and reverter to residential/office if the use ends. Mayor Woolley described developer outreach to Continental Drive residents, a town hall, and a DNR conservation easement that will keep a natural area unbuildable while the developer maintains it and pays taxes. Councilman Armstrong said he initially opposed but changed his mind after talking with residents. Councilman Thomas voted no, citing the same master plan concerns. Approved 5–1 on roll call (Mr. Thomas was the sole no vote).
• Item 6.21 (charter amendment ballot proposal — Charter Sections 15, 152, 153, 154): Motion to postpone to April 21, 2026, made by Mr. Thomas, so that Councilman Clark could be present.
• Resolution opposing House Bills 5529–5532 and 5581–5585: Councilman Thomas read the full resolution into the record. It opposes state preemption of local zoning authority, asserting the bills would impose new study/document requirements for site plan review, restrict minimum home square footage, pressure local water and sewer infrastructure, change parking and mobile home requirements, restrict local control over distances between homes, and permit duplexes on parcels zoned single-family residential. The mayor stated that Taylor "doesn't need Lansing telling us how to run our business," called the bills "an absolute joke," said no downriver mayor supports them, and suggested first-time homebuyer down payment assistance as an alternative. Approved unanimously.
• Fireworks ordinance amendment: A council member moved to direct corporation counsel to amend the fireworks ordinance to require brick-and-mortar locations for fireworks sales, arguing the year-round store near Walmart should not be undercut by lower-cost seasonal tents on Telegraph. Councilman Tedy expressed caution, noting the change may not stop late-night fireworks use and that other temporary vendors (food trucks, Girl Scout cookies) already exist; Councilman Armstrong called illegal fireworks use "an enforcement issue, not a supply issue." Resident Caroline Pat (6860 Jackson) raised a hypothetical about taxpaying property owners who might want to host tent sales on their own property. The motion passed 4–2 (yes: Mr. Wallace, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Patz, Mr. Johnson; no: Mr. Tedy, Mr. Armstrong; Mr. Clark excused).

Public Comments & Testimony

• A resident criticized the police chief's signing of the ICE 287(g) task force agreement, which they described as making Taylor the only municipality in Michigan to sign such an agreement. They stated that neither the previous nor the current council has voted to approve or disapprove the agreement, called the inaction "pure apathy," and questioned whether the chief should have entered the agreement without council authority.
• A resident (Holland, Taylor, Michigan) asked the police chief how many immigrants were turned over to ICE in the last 90 days and received the answer "two." The speaker stated they believe the ICE agreement is being "carried out for no reason."

Key Outcomes

• Budget amendment 2026-005 approved ($675,000 transfer from the major road fund to the local road fund).
• Case 26-3715 (Telegraph, former Coliseum) conditional rezoning approved on first reading, 5–1; second reading scheduled for the next meeting.
• Gardner/Beech Daly conditional rezoning approved on second reading, 5–1.
• Resolution opposing House Bills 5529–5532 and 5581–5585 approved unanimously.
• Fireworks ordinance amendment referral passed 4–2.
• Charter amendment ballot proposal item postponed to April 21, 2026.

Note on the Record

• The raw transcript includes a lengthy passage after the 7:26 p.m. adjournment that appears to be audio from a separate Taylor Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony rather than council business; it is not included in this summary.